This Land Press

3:36 pm

Fri July 11, 2014

Folk performers like John Fullbright, Terri Hendrix and the son of Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie, are set to play the 17th edition of the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, which continues today through Sunday in the tiny eastern Oklahoma town of Okemah.

Mitch Gilliam traces the pioneering influence of Woody Guthrie on today’s punk-folk vagabond musicians.The following is a production of our partners at This Land Press.

World Cafe

5:28 pm

Mon March 31, 2014

The latest World Cafe: Next artist is Oklahoma singer-songwriter Parker Millsap, who recently released his solo debut and follows in the footsteps of fellow Oklahoman John Fullbright. With strong songwriting, a powerful voice and an engaging live show, Millsap represents himself awfully well for someone who's only 20. Download a pair of his songs on this page, or as part of our World Cafe: Next podcast.

Woody Guthrie's relationship with his home state has always been complicated. The singer-songwriter left Oklahoma and traveled the nation, composing some of the best-known songs of his time and ours. But to many in the state, his progressive political views did not fit with a strong conservative streak during the Cold War period. His reputation there is now closer to a full restoration as Oklahoma opens his archives.